2 Nov – 8 Nov 202626 Oct – 1 Nov 202619 Oct – 25 Oct 202612 Oct – 18 Oct 20265 Oct – 11 Oct 202628 Sep – 4 Oct 202621 Sep – 27 Sep 202614 Sep – 20 Sep 20267 Sep – 13 Sep 202631 Aug – 6 Sep 2026
Weekly at a glance
- Mon 5 Oct — RBI's MPC begins rate review amid 4.82% inflation, GST mop-up jumps 14.7% to ₹2.04 lakh crore, and forces seek higher Agniveer retention
- Tue 6 Oct — Optogenetics pioneers win Nobel Medicine, RBI MPC set for 7 Oct verdict as inflation firms, SC questions Form 6 changes
- Wed 7 Oct — RBI hikes repo rate to 5.50% in first hike since 2023; Cabinet clears ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund and Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority; Navy's first indigenous Fleet Support Ship 'Surya' launched
- Thu 8 Oct — RBI hikes repo rate to 5.50%, PM opens 10th India Mobile Congress, 57th GST Council takes up GST 2.0 process reforms
- Fri 9 Oct — GST Council scraps arrest powers; 30% margin cap on 110 cancer drugs; CAPF Act 2026 comes into force
All topics — key facts for revision
5 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ECONOMY RBI's Monetary Policy Committee begins three-day review as inflation edges up
- Repo rate at 5.25%, held in August with a neutral stance.
- CPI inflation: 4.82% in August 2026 vs 4.45% in July, led by food.
- RBI projects real GDP growth of 6.7% for 2026-27.
- Forex reserves fell $18.3 bn to $747.6 bn (week ended 25 Sept).
ECONOMY September GST collections rise 14.7% to ₹2.04 lakh crore; Council meets on 7 October
- Domestic GST ₹1.38 lakh crore (+10.1%); import GST ₹65,525 crore (+25.9%).
- Net GST after refunds: ₹1.77 lakh crore, up 18.1%.
- Apr-Sep 2026 gross: ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%); net ₹10.66 lakh crore (+10.4%).
- Council agenda: easier registration, simpler returns, less litigation; platform warehouses for small e-commerce sellers.
DEFENCE Army, Navy and IAF propose higher Agniveer retention as first batch nears exit
- Current rule: 25% absorbed into the regular cadre; 75% exit after 4 years.
- Proposals: Army and IAF seek 50% retention; Navy up to 75%.
- Exit package: tax-free Seva Nidhi (about ₹11.71 lakh), skill certificate; no pension/gratuity.
- Entry age 17.5-21 years; ₹48 lakh non-contributory life insurance in service.
DEFENCE Navy sailor held for leaking information to Pakistani operative in honey-trap
- Sailor joined the Navy in 2014; contact developed over a few months.
- Produced in court at Vijayawada on 5 October after transfer on a prisoner-transit warrant.
- Part of a recurring pattern of honey-trap operations via fake profiles targeting defence staff.
SCI-TECH US 'Super Intelligence' order and voluntary frontier-AI safety accord: what it means
- Accord sets four control layers: internal monitoring, safety team, independent external auditor, independent board committee.
- Non-binding — no penalty clauses; the US favours industry self-regulation.
- Science adviser has 60 days to propose a legal definition of SI.
- EU and Australia are pressing for binding guardrails instead.
ENVIRONMENT Wildlife Week 2026 spotlights corridors beyond protected-area boundaries
- India has 107 National Parks (~44,403 sq km) and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries (~1.24 lakh sq km).
- Nagaland: 222 Community Reserves (~1,160 sq km).
- Idea from the Indian Board of Wildlife (1952); first week-long celebration in 1957.
- India hosts 1,04,000+ animal and 47,000+ plant species.
POLITY SIR debate: is the Election Commission's mandate under strain?
- Concern: SIR lacks an explicit basis in the RP Act, 1950, which provides for intensive and summary revisions.
- Risk to universal adult suffrage under Art 326 if eligible voters are excluded en masse.
- CEC and Other ECs Act, 2023 shields officials from proceedings for official acts.
- In West Bengal, the Supreme Court has heard pleas on large-scale deletions.
POLITY Delhi High Court: a valid visa is not an absolute right to enter India
- Visa possession and permission to enter are legally distinct.
- Immigration Officers may examine documents under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
- No enforceable right means no writ under Art 226.
- Relied on Hans Muller of Nurenburg (1955) and Louis De Raedt (1991).
HEALTH Rabies deaths: official surveillance captures barely 1% of the estimated toll
- IDSP-IHIP: 50 deaths (2023), 54 (2024); MCCD (Registrar-General): 271 (2023).
- Gap of nearly 100-fold; under 1% of deaths captured.
- About 9.1 million animal bites a year — roughly 3 in 4 by dogs.
- WHO: India bears about 35% of the world's ~59,000 annual rabies deaths.
IR Jaishankar: India has moved 'beyond advocacy' in Russia-Ukraine peace efforts
- Focus areas: Black Sea shipping safety, grain exports, energy supplies.
- Ukraine said it received separate ceasefire ideas from India and three other nations.
- Jaishankar framed the world as shaped by US repositioning and China's rise.
- Emerging powers must diversify and de-risk amid shifting interdependencies.
IR Iran tells US there is 'no military solution' as Hormuz talks hit impasse
- Iran set seven conditions for reopening, incl. sanctions relief and unfreezing assets; the US rejected them.
- Both sides run blockades — Iran strikes vessels; the US counter-blockades Iranian ports.
- A June 2026 interim MoU had outlined a framework for de-escalation.
- Iran's oil minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned.
6 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →SCI-TECH Nobel Medicine 2026: optogenetics pioneers honoured for a 'light switch' for neurons
- Optogenetics = inserting genes for light-sensitive proteins (opsins) into chosen neurons so that a flash of light switches them ON or OFF within milliseconds.
- Key molecule channelrhodopsin — a light-gated ion channel first found in green algae; Hegemann & Nagel characterised it, Deisseroth used it in mammalian brains.
- Used to study memory, fear, addiction and movement; clinical leads in vision restoration, Parkinson's and more precise cochlear implants.
- Award ceremony on 10 December 2026 in Stockholm; prize shared equally by the three laureates.
ECONOMY RBI MPC meets 5–7 Oct: first rate hike in nearly four years on the table
- Repo rate 5.25% — held in the last four reviews after 125 bps of cuts in 2025; SDF 5.00%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.50%.
- CPI inflation rose to 4.82% (Aug) from 4.45% (Jul); food inflation 5.95% vs 5.52%.
- RBI projects FY27 CPI around 5%; GDP growth ~6.7% expected for 2026-27.
- A hike would be the first since February 2023, when repo was raised to 6.50%.
ECONOMY India–US trade talks hit a 'plateau': FM says more concessions 'very, very difficult'
- US has imposed a 10% additional duty on Indian goods after a Section 301 probe; a second probe on alleged excess structural capacity is pending.
- US law empowers the President to levy tariffs of up to 100% linked to purchases of Russian oil.
- US goods trade deficit with India of about $34 billion (FY26) is the 'predominant' US concern.
- India's red lines: agriculture, dairy and livelihoods of small farmers.
DEFENCE Mecca Alliance activated: Pakistan, Türkiye to deploy forces in Saudi Arabia
- Pact signed on 7 Aug 2026; collective-defence clause — an attack on one is an attack on all (like NATO Article 5).
- Trigger: Houthi strikes claimed on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery.
- Lt Gen (retd) Numan Mahmud of Pakistan named the first Secretary-General for 3 years.
- Combined strength of about 1.4 million active troops, 3,400 aircraft and 6,000 tanks.
ENVIRONMENT Buxa Tiger Reserve begins tiger reintroduction with a tigress from Valmiki
- Buxa had no resident breeding tigers; camera traps showed only transient tigers from Bhutan or Assam's Manas NP.
- Part of a 5-year plan (2023-24 to 2027-28): habitat improvement, prey-base augmentation and conflict mitigation.
- Released in the presence of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
- Buxa lies on the India–Bhutan border, adjoining Bhutan's Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary — a transboundary corridor.
ECONOMY Services PMI climbs to 55.2 in September — a three-month high
- Manufacturing PMI 55.1 — a 7-month high; composite up from 54.3 in August.
- New export orders grew at the slowest pace in about 3 years; the Jul–Sep quarterly average was the weakest since 2022.
- Input-cost inflation hit a 10-month low; only 16% of firms expect higher activity over the next year.
- GST collections for September: ₹2.04 lakh crore, up 14.7% year-on-year.
POLITY 'Form 6 changes not approved by us': Supreme Court seeks Election Commission's reply
- Form 6 = application for new voter enrolment, prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
- Petitioners allege new fields — ancestral details and a link to the previous SIR — were added via EC software without amending the Rules.
- Plea claims CEC Gyanesh Kumar acted without the concurrence of the two other Election Commissioners.
- Backdrop: Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of rolls and alleged mass deletions; software problems flagged in Goa and West Bengal.
ENVIRONMENT Great Nicobar project: SC refuses to entertain Centre's challenge; Calcutta HC to hear PILs
- Components: transhipment port (Galathea Bay), international airport, township and a power plant.
- PILs allege violation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in obtaining tribal consent, and dilution of eco-sensitive buffers.
- HC (6 May): there is no thumb rule on locus standi in PILs concerning vulnerable communities.
- Concerns: Shompen (PVTG) and Nicobarese, leatherback turtle nesting, coral reefs, high seismic risk.
IR India–Switzerland sign 5 pacts; defence and nuclear cooperation to deepen
- 5 agreements: Migration & Mobility Partnership, Young Professionals exchange, transport technologies & infrastructure, DST–Swiss National Science Foundation LoI, and an innovation & tech-transfer arrangement.
- Built on the India–EFTA TEPA, in force since 1 Oct 2025 — India's first FTA with a European bloc.
- TEPA target: $100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in India over 15 years.
- EFTA = Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein; Switzerland is India's largest EFTA partner.
SOCIETY SC directs 24×7 monitoring cells to curb sexual offences in Delhi
- Court: cameras alone are not enough without people actually watching them.
- Focus on parks such as Astha Kunj (site of a recent gang-rape), areas near schools and public gathering spots.
- More patrolling during the festive season; progress to be reviewed in November.
- Builds on post-Nirbhaya (2012) reforms; offences now fall under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
7 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ECONOMY RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%, shifts to 'calibrated tightening'
- Stance changed from 'neutral' to 'calibrated tightening'; near-term rate cuts effectively off the table.
- FY27 CPI inflation projection raised to 5.2%; quarterly path Q2 4.9%, Q3 6.0%, Q4 5.7%, Q1 FY28 5.6%.
- FY27 real GDP growth raised 40 bps to 7.1% (from 6.7%); Q2 7.2%, Q3 6.9%, Q4 6.8%.
- Governor: inflation outlook 'not benign' as it was last year; RBI had cut a cumulative 125 bps in 2025.
- Rupee traded near ₹96 per US dollar after the decision.
ECONOMY Cabinet approves ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund for direct equity
- Structured as an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012.
- Targets SMEs with proven viability and scalability; majority allocation to manufacturing SMEs.
- Focus on industrial clusters in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
- Capital for capacity expansion, technology adoption, exports, GVC integration and acquisitions.
- MSMEs contribute about 30% of GDP and 45% of merchandise exports.
ECONOMY Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) set up as apex planning body
- Will prepare a 10+ year National Transport Master Plan covering 8 domains — roads, railways, ports & shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility, logistics.
- Technical appraisal of central projects costing ₹500 crore or more; financial appraisal stays with existing mechanisms.
- National Transport Data Repository to pool e-way bill, FASTag, Vahan, GPS and urban traffic data.
- Cabinet also cleared four rail multitracking projects in WB, Odisha, TN and AP.
SCI-TECH Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 for discovery of high-energy cosmic neutrinos
- IceCube uses about one cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice fitted with optical sensors to catch faint Cherenkov light.
- Neutrinos are nearly massless, chargeless 'ghost particles' that pass through matter almost untouched.
- High-energy neutrinos act as messengers from blazars, active galactic nuclei and other cosmic accelerators.
- The 2026 Medicine Nobel (announced 5 Oct) went to pioneers of optogenetics.
DEFENCE FSS-1 'Surya': Navy's first indigenous Fleet Support Ship launched
- About 43,500 tonnes displacement; helicopter deck, onboard workshops and self-defence systems.
- Entered the Bay of Bengal ~18 months after steel cutting; keel of FSS-5 laid the same day.
- MoD–HSL contract of about ₹19,000 crore for 5 ships; around 82% indigenous content.
- HSL inaugurated upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath crane.
- Will supplement existing tankers INS Deepak, INS Shakti and INS Aditya.
SCI-TECH National Supercomputing Mission crosses 40 systems and 68 petaflops
- By class: 13 high-end (>1 PF), 12 mid (0.5–1 PF), 15 low-end (below 500 TF).
- Launched April 2015, outlay ₹4,500 crore; steered by DST + MeitY, implemented by C-DAC and IISc Bengaluru.
- Indigenous 'Rudra' servers — 6,000 deployed; indigenous interconnect tested at 100/200 Gbps.
- 16,000+ researchers, 1.5 crore+ jobs run, ~2,000 publications.
- AIRAWAT AI supercomputer entered TOP500 at rank 75 (2023).
ENVIRONMENT India–Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism: Operational Manual launched
- Operates under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement (cooperative approaches, ITMOs).
- Japanese technology and co-finance flow into Indian low-carbon projects; verified reductions are shared as credits.
- India's eligible list: green hydrogen, offshore wind, storage-backed renewables, CCUS.
- Japan has JCM partnerships with about 30 countries since 2013.
- Indian authority: NDAIAPA (constituted 2022).
SOCIETY 3D concrete printing piloted for rural houses under PMAY-G
- 100 houses at Burripalem (near Tenali) and 77 at Pothuru; completion targeted in about six months.
- Outlay ₹13.93 crore — Centre ₹9.44 crore, State ₹4.49 crore.
- PMAY-G aid: ₹1.20 lakh (plains) / ₹1.30 lakh (hilly/difficult areas); minimum 25 sq m house.
- Cabinet approved 2 crore more houses up to 2028-29 after the 2.95 crore first-phase target.
IR India–Switzerland sign 5 pacts as India–EFTA TEPA completes one year
- Migration & Mobility Partnership — multiple-entry visas up to 5 years, legal pathways for students and researchers.
- Young Professionals scheme: 300 per year each way (expandable to 500) for temporary work-exchange.
- Other pacts: transport technologies & infrastructure, science cooperation.
- TEPA: USD 100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in India over 15 years — first FTA with a binding investment commitment.
- EFTA offers 92.2% tariff lines (99.6% of India's exports); India offers 82.7% (95.3% of EFTA exports).
POLITY PM calls for global rules on AI and deepfake origin-tracing
- PM: 'our digital future must expand opportunity while strengthening trust'.
- India's Feb 2026 IT Rules amendments require platforms to embed permanent metadata / unique identifiers in synthetic content.
- EU AI Act labelling duties apply from 2 Aug 2026; China mandates AI labels since Sep 2025.
- India has no standalone AI law; regulation runs through the IT Act 2000 and IT Rules.
REPORT SPIR 2026: cybercrime victims struggle for redress; financial fraud dominates
- 13% respondents faced cybercrime in the last 2–3 years; 54% of these were digital financial frauds.
- 52% of financial-fraud victims complained to banks, 63% of them within 24 hours; 40% suspected bank insider involvement.
- Women, the poor and rural victims lean more on informal routes (bribes, contacts) to get police help.
- Ready-made fraud 'kits' (pre-activated SIMs, mule accounts) cost just ₹10,000–20,000.
- UPI handled over 24,000 crore transactions worth ₹314 lakh crore in FY26.
8 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →SCI-TECH PM inaugurates 10th India Mobile Congress — 'Scale Without Boundaries'
- Organised by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI); runs 7–10 Oct 2026.
- Theme 'Scale Without Boundaries'; 4 pillars — Srishti, Samvardhan, Sashakt, Suraksha.
- 9 anchor sectors incl. 5G & 6G, AI networks, semiconductors, non-terrestrial (satellite) networks, quantum communication.
- Expected 1.5 lakh+ visitors from 100+ countries and 600+ startups.
- PM: mobile phone has become a tool of good governance under Digital India.
DEFENCE Indian Air Force turns 94 — Air Force Day celebrated at Hindon
- IAF was established on 8 October 1932; 'Royal' prefix added in 1945, dropped in 1950.
- Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit (VCAS since 1 Jul 2026) named 29th Chief of the Air Staff from 31 Oct 2026, succeeding ACM Amar Preet Singh.
- Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 (2nd edition, multinational) at Jodhpur, 26 Sep–12 Oct.
- IAF motto 'Nabha Sparsham Deeptam' is taken from the Bhagavad Gita.
ECONOMY RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%; stance turns 'calibrated tightening'
- SDF 5.25%; MSF & Bank Rate 5.75%.
- Stance vote 4–2 for calibrated tightening (two members preferred neutral).
- FY27 projections: GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%; CPI seen peaking at 6.0% in Q3.
- Indian crude basket averaged US$116.1/bbl in Sept vs US$82.0 in July; monsoon ended 13% below LPA.
- Next MPC meeting: 2–4 Dec 2026.
ECONOMY Cabinet clears ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund for equity to manufacturing SMEs
- Govt money flows through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which invest in SMEs.
- Majority of allocation for manufacturing; also services, tech and strategic value chains.
- Focus on industrial clusters in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
- MSME limits: Small — investment ≤ ₹25 cr, turnover ≤ ₹100 cr; Medium — ≤ ₹125 cr / ≤ ₹500 cr.
ECONOMY Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority to unify planning across all modes
- Will draft a long-term National Transport Master Plan — roads, rail, ports, aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility.
- Technical appraisal of central projects ≥ ₹500 crore (financial appraisal stays with existing bodies).
- Unified transport data repository from GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, Vahan, GPS data.
- Advises on updating the National Logistics Policy, 2022; India ranked 38th of 139 in LPI 2023.
SCI-TECH Chemistry Nobel 2026 to Kagan & Soai for 'mirror-image' chemistry
- Chirality: molecules existing as non-superimposable mirror images (enantiomers), like left and right hands.
- Kagan (1986): a catalyst of modest purity can give a product of higher enantiomeric purity (non-linear effect).
- Soai reaction (1990s): the product catalyses its own formation (asymmetric autocatalysis), amplifying one 'hand'.
- Explains homochirality of life (L-amino acids, D-sugars); prize money 12 million SEK.
REPORT Living Planet Report 2026: monitored wildlife populations down 73% since 1970
- Based on 35,803 population trends of 5,790 species.
- Freshwater −85%, terrestrial −69%, marine −59%.
- Top driver: habitat loss & degradation, then overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species.
- Bright spots: wild tigers up ~70% (2010–2025); green sea turtle downlisted to Least Concern.
- 73% is an average proportional change, not 73% of animals lost.
ENVIRONMENT Project Cheetah: Veerangana Durgavati TR becomes MP's third cheetah home
- ~2,340 sq km across Sagar, Damoh, Narsinghpur — MP's largest tiger reserve (notified 2023).
- Lies in catchments of Ken, Betwa and Narmada; boma of 439 ha in 5 sections.
- Cheetah declared extinct in India in 1952; project launched 17 Sep 2022 with 8 cheetahs from Namibia, then 12 from South Africa (2023).
- Cheetah Steering Committee cleared shifting 4 cheetahs to Nauradehi.
POLITY 57th GST Council meets on 'GST 2.0' process reforms — arrest powers, ITC refunds
- Proposal to remove GST officers' arrest powers, keeping prosecution for wilful fraud — needs an amendment by Parliament.
- Wider ITC refunds for inverted duty structure: input services now, capital goods from April 2027.
- Easier registration for small e-commerce sellers; optional annual return for turnover up to ₹5 crore.
- Rate reviews proposed only once a year, effective 1 April; some States flagged revenue concerns.
SOCIETY VB-G RAM G: Centre notifies 375 permissible rural works under four pillars
- Water Security 128; Core Rural Infrastructure 111; Livelihood Infrastructure 98; Disaster preparedness 38 (new).
- Act replaced MGNREGA (2005); in force from 1 Jul 2026.
- Guarantees 125 days of wage work per rural household per year (MGNREGA: 100).
- Cost shared 60:40 (Centre:States) for most States, unlike fully Centre-funded wages earlier.
IR Kaliningrad–Suwałki Gap: Russia accuses NATO of 'isolating' its Baltic exclave
- Kaliningrad: Russian exclave (~15,000 sq km) between Poland and Lithuania; ex-Königsberg, given to USSR by the Potsdam Agreement (1945).
- Hosts Russia's Baltic Fleet (Baltiysk) and Iskander missiles.
- Suwałki Gap: ~100 km Poland–Lithuania border strip between Kaliningrad and Belarus — NATO's only land link to the Baltic states.
- Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024) joined NATO; India's INS Tushil and INS Tamal were built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad.
DEFENCE India–UAE Exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026' under way at Chaubatia
- 92 personnel, split equally; India from a Bhairav Battalion, UAE from a Mountain Infantry Battalion.
- Focus: mountain warfare, drone operations, surveillance grids, rock-climbing, integrated field drills.
- Women officers and combatants from both sides in specialist roles.
- Other India–UAE drills: Desert Cyclone (armies), Zayed Talwar (navies).
9 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ECONOMY 57th GST Council: Arrest Powers Go, Refunds Get Automated
- Arrest powers removed by omitting Section 69 of CGST Act; prosecution threshold (Sec 132) raised from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, limited to fraudulent ITC.
- No show-cause notice for tax below ₹10,000; max general penalty (Sec 125) cut from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
- 90% of export and inverted-duty refunds to be provisionally sanctioned by the system; acknowledgement time cut from 15 to 10 days.
- Optional ARQP (Annual Return Quarterly Payment) scheme for B2C firms with turnover up to ₹5 crore; optional 5% GST on EV passenger transport.
- Plastic waste, e-waste and used cooking oil from unregistered sellers brought under reverse charge.
SCI-TECH IMC 2026: PM Calls for Global Rules on Deepfakes & Cyber Fraud
- Sought common global rules for emerging tech and tools to trace the origin of deepfake/AI content.
- DoT's Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has reportedly helped stop over ₹5,000 crore of suspected fraud.
- IMC 2026 theme: 'Scale Without Boundaries'; focus on AI, 6G, semiconductors, satcom.
- PM called Digital Public Infrastructure a 'force multiplier' for the Global South.
ENVIRONMENT WMO: Record El Niño to Peak Around December
- ~100% likelihood (consensus of 13 centres) that El Niño persists through February 2027.
- Oct–Dec Niño-3.4 anomaly forecast at ~+3.7°C vs previous record +2.6°C (2015-16).
- Could be one of the strongest since 1950; record SSTs expected in central-east tropical Pacific.
- In India, a weak monsoon and El Niño were cited by the RBI (7 Oct) among food-inflation risks.
DEFENCE SAREX-2026: Coast Guard's Mass-Rescue Drill off Paradip
- Scenario: a passenger aircraft with 228 people ditches at sea and hits container vessel MV Zumba.
- Assets: 15 ICG ships, Dornier aircraft, ALH and Chetak helicopters, IAF C-130J & Mi-17, 2 Navy ships.
- 32 observers from 30 countries attended.
- 24th NMSAR Board meeting held in Bhubaneswar, chaired by DG ICG Paramesh Sivamani.
SCI-TECH Nobel 2026: Neutrino Astronomy, Asymmetric Synthesis & Anne Carson
- Physics: Francis Halzen – for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos.
- Chemistry: Henri Kagan & Kenso Soai – non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.
- Literature: Anne Carson (b. 1950, Toronto) – 'bold and inventive oeuvre'; works: Autobiography of Red, Nox; first Canadian since Alice Munro (2013).
- Medicine honoured work on optogenetics; each prize carries 12 million SEK.
HEALTH 30% Trade-Margin Cap on 110 Non-Scheduled Cancer Drugs
- Covers 110 drugs, including 35 patented medicines; notification via NPPA.
- MRPs expected to fall 20–70%; estimated patient savings of ₹2,500 crore a year.
- Precedent: 2019 cap on 42 cancer drugs cut MRPs of 526 brands (~50% on average), saving ₹984 crore/yr.
- On 29 Sept the SC had questioned the Centre on cancer-drug pricing.
POLITY CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026 Comes into Force
- Covers CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB; senior posts earlier governed by executive orders now by statute.
- 50% of IG posts and at least 67% of ADG posts reserved for IPS deputationists.
- Special DG and DG posts: 100% IPS.
- SC's May 2025 verdict had asked for IPS deputation up to IG to be progressively reduced within two years; contempt plea filed by cadre officers.
POLITY SC Widens Scrutiny of State DGP-Appointment Rules
- Rule allowed officers with under 6 months' residual service to be considered; DGP Tadasha Mishra issued notice.
- Amicus Raju Ramachandran, assisted by UPSC, to review DGP laws of all States.
- Court: its duty is to ensure Prakash Singh directions are not diluted, whichever party rules a State.
- Matter listed after one week; Jharkhand may revisit its rules.
SOCIETY National SC-ST Hub Completes a Decade
- Procurement from SC/ST MSEs rose from ₹99.37 crore (2015-16) to ₹4,013.42 crore (2025-26) from 12,524 MSEs.
- 1,90,414 beneficiaries assisted and 54,499 candidates trained (till 31 July 2026); 55% of 2025-26 trainees were women.
- SCLCSS: 25% capital subsidy up to ₹25 lakh; 3,160 MSEs got ₹356.10 crore.
- Top States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam.
IR EAM's Africa Outreach: Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia
- Ghana (6 Oct): met President John Dramani Mahama; follows PM's July 2025 visit, first by an Indian PM in three decades.
- Côte d'Ivoire (7 Oct): talks with FM Nialé Kaba on trade, agriculture, healthcare, defence & counter-terrorism.
- Ethiopia: final leg; Addis Ababa hosts the African Union HQ.
- Focus: people-centric development partnership, infrastructure and investment.
REPORT Ayush Services Sector Report: Women Are 43% of Workforce
- Supports ~1.76 million livelihoods; women = 43% of workforce (over 60% in spas/wellness resorts).
- Ayurveda = USD 17.73 bn (~48%); standalone clinics are the largest segment (43.9% of revenue).
- Wellness segment CAGR 21.29%; Medical Value Travel ~USD 1.77 bn.
- Projected to reach USD 216–318 billion by 2047.
Prelims rapid-fire — 30 facts
| World Habitat Day: First Monday of October (5 Oct 2026); UN-Habitat; observed since 1986. |
| World Teachers' Day: 5 October; marks the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on teachers' status. |
| GST Council meet: 7 October — GST 2.0 process reforms on registration and returns. |
| Forex reserves: $747.6 bn (week to 25 Sept); FCA at $615.4 bn. |
| Immigration & Foreigners Act: 2025 law; in force from 1 Sept 2025; replaced four older Acts. |
| Agnipath first batch: Joined training in early 2023; 4-year tenure ends in 2026. |
| GST gross collections, September 2026: ₹2.04 lakh crore (+14.7%) — third straight month above ₹2 lakh crore. |
| Manufacturing PMI for September: 55.1, a 7-month high. |
| The GST Council meets on 7 Oct on 'GST 2.0' process reforms (registration, returns). |
| Dibrugarh (Assam) sent its first overseas cargo since Independence — methanol to Bangladesh via the Brahmaputra (NW-2). |
| Nobel Medicine 2026 award ceremony: 10 December in Stockholm. |
| Mecca Alliance first Secretary-General: Lt Gen (retd) Numan Mahmud of Pakistan. |
| Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 — inaugural India–UAE army exercise in high-altitude Uttarakhand. |
| Bogibeel (Assam) — first international cargo from Upper Assam: 540 MT methanol to Dhaka via NW-2 (Brahmaputra). |
| EAM visit (6–10 Oct) — Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia; Regional Heads of Mission conference in Addis Ababa. |
| Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan) — India 4th with 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze). |
| NABKISAN — India's first WASH-focused social bond listed on NSE: ₹180 crore, 8.10% coupon, 5-year tenure. |
| National Household Travel Survey — first all-India survey of 4.92 lakh households; 61.9% male vs 41.9% female workers commute daily. |
| World Bank raised India's FY27 GDP forecast to 7.1% (from 6.6%) in its India Development Update. |
| MoD signed a ₹661.50 crore contract with BrahMos Aerospace for ship-borne fire-control systems and launchers — Buy (Indian-IDDM). |
| Andhra Pradesh declared 388 mandals in 21 districts drought-hit. |
| Assam GPS study 'Tracking the Giants': 38,000+ GPS fixes; tea gardens act as elephant pathways; Asian elephant — Endangered (IUCN). |
| DRDO's High-Altitude Platform flew to 21 km; AHAP parachute made its maiden live jump at Nyoma, Ladakh. |
| 72nd Wildlife Week (2–8 Oct) concludes; wildlife protection is a Fundamental Duty under Art 51A(g). |
| RBI MPC (7 Oct) — Repo hiked 25 bps to 5.50%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%; stance 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%. |
| Nobel Physics 2026 — Francis Halzen for the IceCube observatory at the South Pole. |
| Nobel Chemistry 2026 — Henri Kagan & Kenso Soai: non-linear effects & autocatalysis in asymmetric synthesis. |
| IMC 2026 — Theme 'Scale Without Boundaries', venue Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. |
| GST e-commerce — New rule 14B lets small online sellers register in another State using the operator's warehouse. |
| SAREX-2026 — 12th edition; scenario of aircraft ditching with 228 people off Paradip. |
Data points of the period
56.5
HSBC Flash Composite PMI — September 2026
Up from 54.3 in August; the 62nd consecutive month above 50. Final manufacturing PMI hit a 7-month high of 55.1, flash services PMI rose to 55.8 (from 54.1). Final composite data due 6 October.
Up from 54.3 in August; the 62nd consecutive month above 50. Final manufacturing PMI hit a 7-month high of 55.1, flash services PMI rose to 55.8 (from 54.1). Final composite data due 6 October.
55.2
HSBC India Services PMI (September 2026)
Up from 54.1 in August — a 3-month high; Composite 55.9 and Manufacturing 55.1, all above the 50 expansion mark.
Up from 54.1 in August — a 3-month high; Composite 55.9 and Manufacturing 55.1, all above the 50 expansion mark.
5.50% (+25 bps)
Repo rate after RBI's October 2026 policy
First hike since Feb 2023; stance 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%.
First hike since Feb 2023; stance 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%.
5.50% (+25 bps)
Repo rate after the October 2026 MPC
First hike since Feb 2023; FY27 projections — GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%. Policy corridor: SDF 5.25% ← Repo 5.50% → MSF 5.75% (band of 50 bps). Costlier EMIs and higher deposit rates aim to curb second-round effects of the oil shock and support the rupee.
First hike since Feb 2023; FY27 projections — GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%. Policy corridor: SDF 5.25% ← Repo 5.50% → MSF 5.75% (band of 50 bps). Costlier EMIs and higher deposit rates aim to curb second-round effects of the oil shock and support the rupee.
₹4,013.42 crore
Procurement from SC/ST-owned MSEs (2025-26)
About 40× the ₹99.37 crore of 2015-16, from 12,524 MSEs — evidence that the 4% sub-target under the Public Procurement Policy is finally biting. Recall: on 7 Oct the RBI hiked the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%.
About 40× the ₹99.37 crore of 2015-16, from 12,524 MSEs — evidence that the 4% sub-target under the Public Procurement Policy is finally biting. Recall: on 7 Oct the RBI hiked the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%.
10 practice MCQs — UPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It is a statutory body constituted under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. Three of its six members are appointed by the Central Government. 3. In case of a tie, the RBI Governor has a casting vote. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
The MPC is set up under Sec 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016). It has six members — three from RBI and three appointed by the Centre — and the Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie.
The MPC is set up under Sec 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016). It has six members — three from RBI and three appointed by the Centre — and the Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie.
Q2. The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 repealed which of the following laws? 1. Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 2. Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 3. Foreigners Act, 1946 4. Citizenship Act, 1955. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: B
The 2025 Act replaced four laws — the 1920, 1939 and 1946 Acts and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. The Citizenship Act, 1955 remains in force.
The 2025 Act replaced four laws — the 1920, 1939 and 1946 Acts and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. The Citizenship Act, 1955 remains in force.
Q3. With reference to optogenetics, recently in news, consider the following statements: 1. It uses light-sensitive proteins to control the activity of specific neurons. 2. Channelrhodopsin, a key protein used in it, was originally discovered in green algae. 3. It permanently alters the DNA of every cell in the human body. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Optogenetics inserts genes for light-gated opsins only into targeted neurons, so statement 3 is wrong. Channelrhodopsin came from green algae; the technique won the 2026 Nobel in Medicine.
Optogenetics inserts genes for light-gated opsins only into targeted neurons, so statement 3 is wrong. Channelrhodopsin came from green algae; the technique won the 2026 Nobel in Medicine.
Q4. Consider the following statements about the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI: 1. It is a statutory body constituted under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. It has six members, three of whom are nominated by the Central Government. 3. The RBI Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie. How many of the statements given above are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
Answer: C
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016); it has 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 Govt nominees) and the Governor has a casting vote.
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 (amended 2016); it has 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 Govt nominees) and the Governor has a casting vote.
Q5. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI, consider the following statements: 1. It is a statutory body under the RBI Act, 1934. 2. It has six members, of whom three are nominated by the Central Government. 3. In case of a tie, the Union Finance Minister has the casting vote. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934, with 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 nominated by the Government). The RBI Governor, not the Finance Minister, has the casting vote — so statement 3 is wrong.
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934, with 6 members (3 from RBI, 3 nominated by the Government). The RBI Governor, not the Finance Minister, has the casting vote — so statement 3 is wrong.
Q6. The Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), recently operationalised between India and Japan, is a cooperative approach under which provision of the Paris Agreement?
- Article 2.1
- Article 4.4
- Article 6.2
- Article 9.1
Show answer
Answer: C
Article 6.2 allows Parties to cooperate bilaterally through Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs); the JCM is such an approach. Article 6.4 sets up the UN-supervised crediting mechanism; Article 9 deals with climate finance.
Article 6.2 allows Parties to cooperate bilaterally through Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs); the JCM is such an approach. Article 6.4 sets up the UN-supervised crediting mechanism; Article 9 deals with climate finance.
Q7. With reference to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of India, consider the following statements: 1. It is constituted under the RBI Act, 1934, as amended by the Finance Act, 2016. 2. The RBI Governor has a casting vote in case of a tie. 3. The inflation target is fixed by the RBI in consultation with the MPC. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The inflation target is set by the Central Government in consultation with the RBI (Sec 45ZA), not by the RBI with the MPC; statements 1 and 2 are correct.
The inflation target is set by the Central Government in consultation with the RBI (Sec 45ZA), not by the RBI with the MPC; statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Q8. The 'Suwałki Gap', recently in the news, lies along the border between which of the following countries?
- Poland and Lithuania
- Lithuania and Latvia
- Poland and Belarus
- Estonia and Russia
Show answer
Answer: A
The ~100 km Suwałki Gap runs along the Poland–Lithuania border, between Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus.
The ~100 km Suwałki Gap runs along the Poland–Lithuania border, between Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus.
Q9. With reference to the GST Council, consider the following statements: 1. It is a constitutional body under Article 279A. 2. It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister. 3. Every decision of the Council requires the unanimous support of all States. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Decisions need a three-fourths weighted majority of members present and voting (Centre ⅓, States ⅔), not unanimity. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Decisions need a three-fourths weighted majority of members present and voting (Centre ⅓, States ⅔), not unanimity. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Q10. Which of the following were among the directions issued by the Supreme Court in Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006)? 1. Selection of the State DGP from among the three senior-most officers empanelled by the UPSC. 2. A minimum tenure of two years for the DGP. 3. Setting up of a Police Complaints Authority. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are part of the seven directions of 2006, along with a State Security Commission, Police Establishment Board, separation of investigation from law & order, and a National Security Commission.
All three are part of the seven directions of 2006, along with a State Security Commission, Police Establishment Board, separation of investigation from law & order, and a National Security Commission.
Mains practice questions
- As the first batch of Agniveers completes its tenure, the armed forces have sought higher retention. Critically examine whether the Agnipath scheme balances a youthful force profile with operational experience. (150 words, 10 marks)
- Strategic infrastructure on ecologically fragile islands such as Great Nicobar pits national security against ecology and tribal rights. Critically examine how the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and environmental impact assessment can help balance these goals. (15 marks, 250 words)
- The RBI has shifted to 'calibrated tightening' even as it raises its growth forecast. Examine the factors behind this decision and discuss its implications for growth, inflation and the external sector. (250 words, 15 marks)
- Rising crude prices and a deficient monsoon have pushed the RBI back to rate hikes. Examine the effectiveness and limits of monetary policy in tackling supply-side inflation in India. (15 marks, 250 words)
- Trade-margin rationalisation is a more effective tool than direct price control for making cancer treatment affordable in India. Critically examine. (GS-II, 150 words)
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